The Oak Spring Podcast

The Soil of a Founding Father: Regenerative Stewardship at Mount Vernon with Anne "Dede" Neal Petri

In this episode, we sit down with Anne "Dede" Neal Petri, the Regent of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, whose lifelong passion for history has led her to the helm of one of America’s most storied landscapes. As Mount Vernon looks toward the monumental 300th anniversary of George Washington’s birth in 2032, Dede shares how the organization is balancing a deep reverence for the past with a forward-thinking commitment to community engagement and land stewardship. We explore the intensive research currently being conducted on the grounds—a process that is unearthing new insights into how the estate functioned not just as a home, but as a living laboratory for conservation and preservation. We dive deep into the fascinating, "hands-on" legacy of George Washington the farmer. Long before the term was coined, Washington was practicing what we now call regenerative agriculture—experimenting with composting, soil health, and the strategic use of manure to sustain the land. Dede introduces us to the "George Washington and the Nation of Farmers" exhibit, a versatile resource designed to bring this unique history into libraries and community centers. Join us as we discuss how Washington’s impact on farming continues to inform our relationship with the earth today, and how Mount Vernon is ensuring his 300-year legacy remains rooted in the very soil he worked to protect. The exhibit is free to download here [https://www.mountvernon.org/estate-gardens/museum/george-washington-and-nation-farmers-exhibit]. Host: Chris Stafford Oak Spring website: https://www.osgf.org/ [https://www.osgf.org/] Subscribe to the Oak Spring Newsletter: Email: programs@osgf.org Instagram: @oakspringgardenfoundation Twitter: @oak_spring Facebook: Oak Spring Garden Foundation

Stewarding a Living Legacy: Gardening, Change, and the Vision of Bunny Mellon

In this episode, we’re joined by Allissa Montgomery, Head Gardener at Oak Spring Garden Foundation, for a conversation about what it means to care for a historic garden that is both deeply rooted in the past and constantly evolving. Allissa reflects on the legacy of Rachel “Bunny” Mellon and the thoughtful design principles that continue to shape the landscape today, from plant selection to the subtle interplay between structure and spontaneity. At the same time, she shares how gardening at Oak Spring requires an ongoing responsiveness to changing climates, shifting ecological conditions, and new understandings of land stewardship. From navigating extreme weather to reconsidering traditional horticultural practices, Allissa offers insight into how a garden can remain true to its original vision while adapting to the realities of the present. This episode is a thoughtful look at gardening as both preservation and transformation—an act of care that unfolds over time. Host: Chris Stafford Oak Spring website: https://www.osgf.org/ [https://www.osgf.org/] Subscribe to the Oak Spring Newsletter: Email: programs@osgf.org Instagram: @oakspringgardenfoundation Twitter: @oak_spring Facebook: Oak Spring Garden Foundation

Frances Palmer: Terracotta, Topiaries, and the Art of Working with Your Hands

In this episode of the Oak Spring Podcast, ceramic artist Frances Palmer joins host Chris Stafford for a conversation that weaves together craft, gardens, discipline, and creative evolution. A two-time visitor to Oak Spring—first as a participant and later as an instructor—Frances reflects on the profound generosity and understated elegance of the landscape, where artists are given both tremendous trust and deep access. Inspired by the topiaries, greenhouses, historic terracotta pots, and the legacy of Bunny Mellon, Frances designed a hands-on course that guided students from studying Oak Spring’s living collections and library holdings to building their own terracotta vessels. In a powerful full-circle gesture, she fired the pots in her own studio and mailed them back to her students, completing a process rooted in tradition, stewardship, and making. Frances also traces her own winding path—from early ambitions in printmaking to studying art history at Barnard and Columbia, working at MoMA PS1, and ultimately building a ceramic studio at home after the birth of her daughter. A maker at heart, she speaks about the discipline of daily practice, the unpredictable magic of the kiln, and the deep parallels between tending a garden and working with clay—both require guidance, then surrender. With reflections on craftsmanship, mentorship, and the resurgence of interest in fine craft, Frances offers insight for emerging artists: repetition builds mastery, exposure helps—but long-term devotion to your practice is what sustains it. Host: Chris Stafford Oak Spring website: https://www.osgf.org/ [https://www.osgf.org/] Subscribe to the Oak Spring Newsletter: Email: programs@osgf.org Instagram: @oakspringgardenfoundation Twitter: @oak_spring Facebook: Oak Spring Garden Foundation

Rooted and Growing: Peter Crane on a Decade of Stewardship at Oak Spring

As the inaugural president of the Oak Spring Garden Foundation, Peter Crane arrived from Yale University at a pivotal moment, shortly after the passing of Mrs. Mellon. The early years were both challenging and exhilarating: there were practical matters like establishing payroll and operations, as well as deeper questions about what programs the Foundation should offer and how best to steward an extraordinary property and collection. Crane reflects on the immense benefit of inheriting dedicated staff—particularly in the library—who had worked closely with Mrs. Mellon and ensured the collection was meticulously cared for. At the same time, he saw an opportunity to blend long-standing institutional knowledge with new expertise. Since 2017, the Foundation’s expansion from 250 to 700 acres with the acquisition of Rokeby Farm has transformed its capacity for residency programs and land stewardship, deepening its engagement with the region’s complex agricultural and ecological history. Over the past decade, Crane has prioritized understanding before intervening—conducting ecological assessments, inventorying every tree via GIS, and carefully managing habitats to support native species, including migratory grassland birds and seasonal visitors like the Short-eared Owl. Partnerships with organizations such as the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Dumbarton Oaks, and the National Gallery of Art have extended Oak Spring’s reach, enabling loans, collaborative exhibitions, and increased digitization of the library’s holdings. The garden itself—once primarily a backdrop—has become an integrated teaching and research space, with programs that pair its living collections with the Foundation’s rare books and archives. A decade in, Crane describes an institution that has grown thoughtfully: rooted in history, attentive to landscape and legacy, and increasingly vibrant as a center for art, ecology, and scholarship. Host: Chris Stafford Oak Spring website: https://www.osgf.org/ [https://www.osgf.org/] Subscribe to the Oak Spring Newsletter: Email: programs@osgf.org Instagram: @oakspringgardenfoundation Twitter: @oak_spring Facebook: Oak Spring Garden Foundation

Caring for Champions: Veterinarian John Mayo on Rokeby Farm and Paul Mellon

In this episode, we sit down with veterinarian John Mayo, who served as the primary veterinarian for Rokeby Farm, the legendary horse breeding and racing operation owned by Paul Mellon, from 1962 to 1997. Across more than three decades, Dr. Mayo played a central role in the care, training, and long-term health of some of America’s most significant Thoroughbred horses. Drawing on firsthand experience, Dr. Mayo reflects on what it meant to practice veterinary medicine at one of the most respected horse farms in the United States during the golden era of American Thoroughbred racing. He shares stories from daily life at Rokeby Farm, insights into breeding and racing practices, and the evolving standards of equine veterinary care over the latter half of the twentieth century. Listeners will gain a rare behind-the-scenes perspective on the relationship between veterinarians, breeders, trainers, and horses, as well as Paul Mellon’s approach to stewardship, animal welfare, and excellence. This conversation also touches on the broader cultural and historical significance of horse racing in Virginia and the legacy of Rokeby Farm.  Whether you’re interested in equine veterinary medicine, horse racing history, Thoroughbred breeding, or the human stories behind iconic sporting institutions, this episode offers a thoughtful and compelling oral history from someone who lived it. Host: Chris Stafford Oak Spring website: https://www.osgf.org/ [https://www.osgf.org/] Subscribe to the Oak Spring Newsletter: Email: program@osgf.org Instagram: @oakspringgardenfoundation Twitter: @oak_spring Facebook: Oak Spring Garden Foundation